NBA star LeBron James deleted a Twitter post regarding the
fatal police shooting of a 16-year-old Black girl in his home state of Ohio,
later explaining he seeks greater accountability.
James, who helped spark the Los Angeles Lakers to last
year’s NBA title, removed a Wednesday tweet that showed a photo of the police
officer, who is white, with the words “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY.”
Body camera footage released by the Columbus, Ohio, police
department showed the girl was swinging a knife at another person before the
shots were fired.
After James removed his tweet, he posted more messages to
explain the decision.
“I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police,”
James posted on Twitter.
“I took the tweet down because it’s being used to create
more hate -This isn’t about one officer. it’s about the entire system and they
always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more
ACCOUNTABILITY.”
James also said anger was the wrong response to such
situations.
“ANGER does any of us any good and that includes myself!
Gathering all the facts and educating does though! My anger still is here for
what happened that lil girl. My sympathy for her family and may justice
prevail!” he tweeted.
James, among the NBA’s most outspoken leaders on social
issues, grew up in Akron, Ohio, about a two-hour drive northeast of Columbus,
the state capital.
The Ohio incident came just before a former police officer
in Minnesota was found guilty of murder in the death last May of handcuffed
Black man George Floyd. His death triggered worldwide protests for social
justice.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump issued a statement on Thursday
taking issue with James’ comments on police shootings by saying he “should focus
on basketball”.
The former US president also took a swipe at the NBA.
“LeBron James should focus on basketball rather than
presiding over the destruction of the NBA, which has just recorded the lowest
television RATINGS, by far, in the long and distinguished history of the
League,” he said.
“His RACIST rants are divisive, nasty, insulting, and
demeaning. He may be a great basketball player, but he is doing nothing to
bring our Country together!”
AFP
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